Updates to the EL Handbook will be noted with a "last updated" date stamp ( ). Please check this webpage frequently to ensure you have the most current and up-to-date information.
New for 2025-2026
Updated December 2024
A new section called "Out of Province Opportunities" has been added to this handbook. Clicking on the link in this section will take the user to the "Out of Province Rotation Information" page, first published online December 10, 2024.
New for 2024-2025
Updated August 2024
A new section called "Remediation in EL" has been added to this handbook. Clicking on the link in this section will take the user to the "EL Remediation Handbook", first published online August 26, 2024.
Updated February 2024
The EL Handbook is now exclusively available in this interactive, online format. The PDF version of the EL Handbook will no longer be available.
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Acknowledgements Thank you to all pharmacy preceptors, community service-learning coordinators, and other external partners. Without your time, effort, expertise, knowledge, and dedication, we would not have a successful program. Thank you for all that you do for PharmD students. |
Purpose
This handbook is intended to be used as a guide for both students and preceptors in the EL Program.
It is the student’s responsibility to read, understand, and comply with policies and procedures as outlined and referenced in this handbook.
EL Office Hours
The EL Office Team can be reached by phone or email Monday through Friday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM.
The EL Office is closed when the University of Saskatchewan is closed, including between December 25 and January 1 and all University-observed holidays. See the Academic Calendar for details.
After-hours supports for students in distress or crisis can be found here.
Educational Outcomes and Competencies Assessed in EL
Experiential Learning presents students the opportunity to practice and receive feedback on the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviours of a competent pharmacy professional at entry-to-practice. Graduates of the PharmD program are expected to demonstrate the essential competencies in knowledge and skills as laid out in The Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada (AFPC) Educational Outcomes, The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) Competencies, and the USask EL Competencies.
Students and preceptors are expected to be familiar with assessment and evaluation expectations in the EL Program.
Remediation in EL
New for 2024-2025
Updated August 2024
The EL Office designed a handbook to help students and preceptors navigate remediation in EL. As an opportunity to improve students' performance in EL placements, remediation can also help students identify different ways to learn and demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and attitudes in order to meet expectations.
Students and preceptors are required to carefully read the course syllabus prior to starting the placement to ensure comprehension of the course requirements and assessment and evaluation expectations. Criteria required to pass the course are described in the syllabi.
Students at Risk of Not Passing the Placement
For Immersions, Service-Learning, and Reflective Assignments: Students must meet expectations as outlined in the assessment rubric at completion of each immersion, at final of completing service-learning hours, and at completion of reflective assignments.
For IPPE and APPE Rotations: Students must achieve the minimum expected level for their year in the program for each competency specified in the final evaluation for their scheduled rotation.
For IPPEs and APPEs, students may receive an evaluation lower than the expected level of achievement for their year in the program at midpoint, with the understanding that with more time, effort, and practice, the deficiencies in the respective competencies may be achieved. If the preceptor awards a grade lower than the minimum expected level of performance for the student’s year in the program at midpoint, the evaluation must include comments as to how the student has demonstrated the awarded level.
If either the student or preceptor is concerned that the student may not be able to demonstrate the expected level of achievement by final, the student must contact the EL Coordinator immediately for support and guidance to address the concerns noted by the preceptor.
If at any point a student is not meeting expectations, the preceptor should speak to the student about the issue(s) as soon as possible. When discussing a concern with a student, provide specific examples of the student’s actions or inactions that illustrate your concern. It is also important to ask questions so you can understand the student’s thought process and perspective on the situation. For example, you could ask the student to describe how they decided on a certain action or inaction, or what factors they considered before making a decision or action.
The EL Office provides support for students who are not meeting expectations. Please reach out as soon as possible to request support.
Policies for Failure in EL Courses
EL placements are academic courses. Failure in a placement is considered failure of an academic course and is subject to the Academic Policies of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, including all Faculty Actions. Students must successfully complete all courses (including EL courses) before moving on to the next year in the program.
For information regarding failed courses, withdrawal from, and removal from rotation, students should see the student tab on the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition website.
Deferred or Supplemental Exams
Any student who is granted deferred or supplemental exams in any course will be required to write special deferred or supplemental exams as determined by the College. The student will be ineligible to take the EL course until such time that they have successfully completed the relevant courses.
EL Course Registration
Students are required to register in PAWS for all EL courses before starting their placements. Students who are not registered in the appropriate course and section will not be allowed to start their placement(s).
If you have any questions about registration, please contact Diane Favreau, Administrative Officer, Undergraduate Affairs.
Placement Scheduling Processes
All placements are arranged through the EL Office using a SmartMatch program to match students to practice sites. Students are asked to provide information about their region/site preferences*, block conflicts, conflicts of interest, and Access and Equity Service (AES) accommodations to the EL Office for the SmartMatch process.
*Although the EL Office will endeavor to accommodate the student’s preferences, there is absolutely no guarantee that a student will be placed in their region/site of choice.
Site allocation for placements will be influenced primarily by the availability of pharmacies, preceptors, and sites willing to participate in the EL program, and which meet the preceptor and site requirements.
Community and hospital pharmacy placements will occur within the province of Saskatchewan at sites that meet specified criteria and standards. Elective rotations may occur outside of the province if circumstances permit.
Students can reasonably be expected to complete placements anywhere in Saskatchewan, including rural and remote communities. Students are therefore encouraged to explore accommodation and transportation options, including obtaining a driver's license.
If a student requires a placement accommodation (e.g., a certain city, including Saskatoon) for a reason that falls under one of the Human Rights protected categories such as, but not limited to, family status, disability, or religion, the student must first register with Access and Equity (AES) with the appropriate documentation.
Students must not contact any site, organization, or institution to arrange their own placements or recruit preceptors or sites.
If the student has a placement that they wish to explore, they must contact the EL Office directly so the EL Office can initiate contact with the preceptor and/or site. Where possible and appropriate, these suggestions will be followed up by the EL Office.
Recruitment for IPPE and APPE rotations takes place in the Fall, so students should bring their ideas to the EL Office as early as possible.
Once the placement process is complete, no changes to the placement will be permitted unless there are extenuating circumstances. Placement scheduling is not subject to appeal, and students are not allowed to switch, trade, or exchange placement dates, times, or sites amongst themselves.
If the student feels that they have an extenuating circumstance, any request to change the placement must be made in writing, include the evidence necessitating the change, where applicable, and submitted to the EL Office.
Conflicts of Interest
A student will not be placed in a site where they meet one or more of the following criteria:
| presently employed at the site |
| previously employed at the site* |
| previously employed by the preceptor(s)/staff presently working at the site |
| family member or close, personal relationships with preceptor(s)/staff presently working at the site |
| any other potential and/or perceived conflict of interest |
*At the discretion of the EL Coordinator, students who have been placed for a previous rotation or employed in a hospital facility or organization may be considered for a placement at that facility or organization as long as the rotation differs from the student’s previous job description, and there is willingness by the preceptor.
A student cannot be a learner and an employee in the same site at the same time. This applies to all placements for all courses. A student may be employed by the same company or chain as the placement site, so long as it is a different site and a different preceptor from the assigned placement site.
Students may start employment with their site/preceptor, if offered, only after they have completed all course requirements for their assigned placement.
Out of Province Opportunities
New for 2025-2026
Updated December 2024
Students may have the opportunity to complete up to two out of province Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experiences (APPEs) in PHAR 483 and/or PHAR 484. To help clarify the parameters around these opportunities, as well as the students' responsibilities should they be matched to an out of province rotation, the EL Office has compiled an information page. All students interested in out of province opportunities for PHAR 483 and/or PHAR 484 must review this information page prior to submitting their preferences to the EL Office.
Remuneration of Students
Students cannot receive any financial compensation or reimbursement for their participation in EL Program placements. Students are expected to perform certain functions normally performed by a pharmacist under the direct supervision of the preceptor, but this is done for a learning experience related to the course rather than to accomplish a work task.
Expenses Incurred Related to EL
Expenses that may arise from lodging, food, transportation to and from sites, travel, parking, licensure, additional insurance, and other incidental costs, are the student's responsibility.
Students are encouraged to connect with their preceptor, peers, and other connections to explore potential housing options. The EL Office also maintains a crowd-sourced housing document wherein students and preceptors can populate information about available lodging in communities with EL sites. The document can be found in the CORE Document Library.
Student Requirements for EL
Before beginning EL placements, students are responsible for making sure all requirements are met and documented in CORE, as instructed.
Failure to meet requirements may result in delays in EL placements, removal from practice sites, and/or delayed progression in the program.
Any site/placement-specific requirements that may not be listed here are the student’s responsibility. Students should reach out to the EL Office if they have concerns about additional requirements stiputed by their site/preceptor.
Confidentiality is of the utmost importance and students are required to sign a Confidentiality Agreement before their placements each year. Information about confidentiality expectations are outlined in the Expectations for Professionalism section of the EL handbook.
The signed agreement must be uploaded to CORE annually.
Students must obtain a one-time criminal record check (CRC), including a vulnerable sector search (VSS), which is applicable for the duration of the program.
Students are to ensure the following:
- The results of the criminal record check and vulnerable sector search must be dated within 6 months prior to program start date.
- Obtain two copies. Please keep both copies in a safe place as you may be required to submit an original copy to your service-learning site or your EL site at the time of placement.
- The document must clearly indicate that both a criminal record check and a vulnerable sector search were completed. If both terms are not stated on the document, you will be required to provide additional evidence that both were completed and approved.
Students are required to report to the Associate Dean, Academic any criminal convictions and/or outstanding charges that occur after the date of the original criminal record check. Failure to report criminal convictions and/or outstanding charges that have occurred will be grounds for immediate dismissal from the program.
The University of Saskatchewan requires that all students attending a Health Sciences College provide documented proof of immunization prior to any contact with patients. Students are to follow the recommendations for immunizations for health care students as laid out in the most current Saskatchewan Immunization Manual.
Completion of this requirement is mandatory and is not subject to accommodations for philosophical reasons.
In Year 1, students are required to have one appointment with a Student Health Nurse at Student Wellness to ensure all requirements have been met. Students must fax (306-966-5786) or e-mail (wellness@usask.ca) their immunization records and consent form to the Student Wellness Centre prior to their first in-person appointment. Immunization records verified by a Student Health Nurse must be uploaded to CORE.
Additional implications include:
- Students may be asked to provide proof of immunization status or tests to placement site, if requested.
- Students must inform their preceptor of immunization status in relevant clinical situations.
- Student must inform their preceptor of onset of symptoms of a vaccine preventable communicable disease or contagious infection and remove themselves from the rotation as appropriate.
- Completion of the immunization requirements, booking appointments for the immunization review, as well as any associated costs, are the responsibility of the student.
During EL placements, students may be in frequent contact with individuals who are at high risk of complications if they contract influenza and/or COVID-19. It is strongly recommended that students are up to date with their COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations.
Please note that some EL placements may require COVID-19 and/or influenza vaccination and students who are not vaccinated may not be able to participate at these sites. Therefore, students who are not vaccinated must meet with the Associate Dean Academic and sign an Immunization Acknowledgement Form.
Students may obtain the vaccination(s) at any location that is convenient. After immunization, the student must ask for proof of immunization or obtain it from their MySaskHealthRecord record if they are a resident of Saskatchewan.
Students must upload documentation of vaccination or the acknowledgement form to CORE, and must ensure the documentation includes their name and date.
Travel Insurance:
USask Travel Accident coverage is provided for injury sustained in the consequence of, and during the course of any trip while on the business of the University (excludes everyday travel to and from work and accidents while at the destination).
NOTE: This is not medical coverage, only has a maximum payable of $50,000, and is subject to the terms and conditions of the policy.
Liability Insurance:
USask-registered students are covered for general liability, subject to the terms and conditions of the policy, while performing any duty or taking part in any activity which is considered part of regular or extraordinary studies or recreational activities connected with the Named Insured, including College-approved clinical placements anywhere (except the USA – Insurer’s approval required).
Prior to hospital and/or institutional placements, student must complete respirator fit testing. The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition will arrange to have the respirator fit testing completed.
Students are responsible for any costs incurred for the testing.
Students must ensure that their respirator fit test information is uploaded to CORE, is carried on their person each day of their clinical placement, and is readily accessible if needed or requested. Students are encouraged to keep a photo of their fit test card on their phone.
Students must be refitted every two years or earlier if changes to face shape, size or features occur.
Students must be registered as interns with the Saskatchewan College of Pharmacy Professionals (SCPP) before beginning any placement. It is the student's responsibility to follow up directly with SCPP about any outstanding requirements, and also to notify the EL Office of any delays in registration.
If a student fails to register with SCPP, the placement will be cancelled and the student will be removed from the site.
After placements are assigned, students must complete and submit a signed Work-Based Learning Consent and Agreement form and upload the signed form to CORE at the beginning of the PharmD Program prior to the start of placements.
This agreement only covers students participating in a placement located in Saskatchewan. For out of province rotations, where possible, the EL Office will arrange Workers Compensation coverage as per USask processes. Please check with the EL Office to see if your rotation is eligible.
In the event the form is not signed and uploaded to CORE prior to beginning the placement, the student will not be allowed to attend the site until they are in compliance and may delay their progression in the program.
Students must report injuries incurred during a placement immediately to their site and to the EL Office.
Students participating in EL placements must successfully complete mandatory online WAVE training. The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition will arrange for student access to training. Once completed, proof of completion (certificate) must be uploaded to CORE.
Students must successfully complete the latest WHMIS training within the year prior to their PHAR 285 IPPE rotation. Students must upload their certificate of completion to CORE prior to starting the rotation.
As per USask Safety Resources, WHMIS training expires after 3 years so students must refresh their training when needed so they maintain valid training for the entire duration of the program.
While on rotation, students are to comply with WHMIS policy as stated in the SAHSN Agreement.
Students participating in placements outside of Saskatchewan are responsible for investigating and complying with all requirements for these placements including:
- registration as a Pharmacist Intern with the appropriate regulatory body
- obtaining additional insurance*
- any additional requirements as stipulated by the site
*For out of province rotations, where possible, the EL Office will arrange Workers Compensation coverage as per USask processes. Please check with the EL Office to see if your rotation is eligible.
Students are responsible for any costs associated with the placement.
Students completing out-of-province placements must complete the Student Acknowledgement of Out of Province Registration Form found in the CORE Document Library once all requirements have been met.
The completed form must be uploaded to CORE and the student must notify the EL Office of requirement completion before beginning the rotation.
Site and Preceptor Requirements for EL
The College of Pharmacy and Nutrition only recruits sites and preceptors that meet established standards and criteria in order to offer diverse, high quality placements. To ensure all students have a positive and enriching learning experience, selection and quality assurance is of the utmost importance in the EL program.
Preceptors must maintain compliance with preceptor requirements and inform the EL Office if and when they no longer meet these standards.
Student Support Services
Students are able to connect with on- and off-campus supports for their health and wellbeing while they are registered in courses as a USask student. Students need not be located in Saskatoon to access many of the supports listed on our Student Support Services webpage. Click below for more information.
Expectations for Professionalism
During EL placements, students should expect to gain experience in making professional decisions with their preceptors/instructors encouraging greater autonomy as the student learns and demonstrates their problem-solving ability.
Baseline expectations for all students include:
- To plan and maximize learning opportunities, including identifing opportunities available at the site and discussing ideas with the preceptor.
- To advise the preceptor of activities that need to be completed to meet the course objectives and to complete all activities as required.
- To demonstrate initiative and work as independently as possible. Note that supervision of a licensed professional is required at all times, for all students.
- To behave professionally at all times with mutual respect and courtesy toward all pharmacy or site staff (including the preceptor, other pharmacists, technicians, assistants, and interns), clients, patients and their families, other health care professionals, faculty, and fellow students.
- To be professional in all their communications with others. Show respect for others by addressing them using their appropriate titles. When speaking to patients, clients, or coordinators, address them by their formal name and title if so desired (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Mx., Dr., etc.), unless instructed otherwise.
- To address concerns or grievances only with the individual involved, with their preceptor, and/or with the EL Office, but not with any other students, pharmacy staff, site staff, other preceptors, patients, or others.
- To observe and respect the practice at all sites and learn from it as they compare it to previous experiences personally and confidentially. The sharing of experiences from previous learning environments with others, including preceptors and other students, in great detail is generally not conducive to a positive learning environment.
- To not be under the influence of alcohol or other mind-altering substances, including illicit drugs, during placements. Students under the influence will be immediately removed from the placement and procedures for concerns with student professional behaviour (Major Incident) will be followed.
- To acknowledge their personal and professional limitations in conducting their behaviour during placements. This includes recognizing the need to seek help if unable to perform their duties safely for personal (e.g., mental health) or professional (e.g., scope of practice) reasons.
Expectations for professionalism in the PharmD program are outlined in the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition's Procedures for Concerns with Pharmacy and Nutrition Student Professional Behaviour document. In instances where unprofessional behaviour is suspected or identified, these procedures will be followed.
Students must exhibit a professional appearance both in manner and dress and must follow the professional standards of behaviour specified in the pharmacy or site (including service learning) to which they are assigned.
Student in placements at Saskatchewan Health Authority sites must adhere to Schedule L: Dress Code of the SAHSN Agreement.
Expectations for all students in all placements include:
- Name badge must be worn at all times.
- Name tags are provided by the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition.
- Hospital identification tag with or without photos may be provided by institutions.
- Dress and personal appearance must always be neat, clean, and professional.
- Unless directed otherwise by the preceptor, the student is expected to dress professionally with a clean and pressed short white laboratory/dispensing jacket with appropriate shoes that have closed toes.
- Hair should be tied or pinned back, and facial hair should be clean, trimmed, and well groomed.
- Tattoos should be covered during the placement if deemed inappropriate by the preceptor.
- The student is responsible for complying with the site dress code and should check with the site regarding dress and appearance policies:
- Certain aspects of dress may pose a patient safety risk or compromise sterility of drug preparation areas (e.g., beards, piercings, artificial or gel nails, colored nail polish, etc.).
- Specific sites may have policies in place about appropriate and expected dress (e.g., lab coat, collared shirt, black pants, length of skirts and dresses, etc.).
- Examples of inappropriate dress include, but are not limited to the following: blue jeans, sweat pants, yoga pants, athletic gear, clothing made of spandex, short shorts, miniskirts, open-toe shoes, T-shirts, shirts bearing slogans, clothing that exposes the midriff or undergarments, low necklines, and clothing with frayed hems, holes, or in general poor repair.
- Most facilities also have a no-scent policy regarding the use of cologne, perfume, and/or scented body products. Students must comply with this policy.
Students are expected to be punctual in arriving at the practice site and to adhere to the schedule arranged with the preceptor for each placement. Students should not leave before the agreed-upon time without first requesting permission from the preceptor.
Students are expected to be on time for all meetings, discussion sessions, and appointments. If the student is unavoidably delayed, the student must speak with the preceptor as soon as it becomes apparent that the student will be late (email is not appropriate). If the student is unable to reach someone at the site, the student should notify the EL Office.
Ongoing issues with lateness, and/or failure to notify the preceptor of impending lateness can impact the student’s professionalism assessment and may result in unsuccessful completion of the course.
Personal Health Information (PHI) and Personal Information (PI) obtained in the workplace by a student must remain confidential and secure both in and out of the pharmacy or institution. The maintenance of confidentiality extends beyond the period of the placement and confidential information must not be shared with others at any time.
There is zero tolerance of breach of patient confidentiality. Breach of confidentiality can result in immediate dismissal from the practice site, failure of the rotation, and dismissal from the program.
Expectations for all students include:
- Signing a Confidentiality Agreement before their initial EL placement each year. Placement sites may require additional site-specific forms/agreements to be signed by the student during a student placement at the discretion of the site.
- Maintain the security and confidentiality of, and not disclose to any third party, confidential or personal information, including PHI of patients and PI of students, instructors, and site employees. Information that is considered confidential includes but is not limited to:
- PHI or information related to the personal affairs or medical conditions and treatment of patients including social information, Pharmaceutical Information Program (PIP) information, etc.
- PI about other students, preceptors/instructors, and site employees.
- Business and operational information of the site including pharmacy records, fee systems, professional policies, etc.
- Collect, use, and disclose PHI, PI, and information considered confidential by the placement site only on a need-to-know basis for purposes authorized by the Saskatchewan Health Information Protection Act (HIPA) and the Local Authority Freedom of Information and Protection Act (LAFOIP).
- Follow the trustee’s protocol for collecting information for research purposes.
- Report suspected or confirmed privacy breaches in a timely manner to the site Privacy Officer in accordance with site policies and procedures.
- Cooperate with any investigation of non-compliance with privacy legislation including an investigation led by the site and/or the Privacy Commissioner.
- Seek clarification as necessary on confidentiality and privacy issues/policies.
- Comply with LAFOIP, HIPA, and relevant Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA)/Saskatchewan Cancer Agency (SCA) policies, including the SAHSN Agreement, as well as College of Pharmacy and Nutrition program policies.
Updated February 2024
Students can expect to use email as a primary communication tool with the EL Office during the PharmD program. Professional communication by email is a skill that students can develop over the program, but baseline expectations exist to ensure that efficient and respectful communication is transmitted both ways.
Expectations for all students include:
- Students must use only their USask-issued e-mail address (abc123@usask.ca) to send email communications regarding EL, including to the EL Office and preceptors.
- All email communications should reflect a professional tone and language. Use proper salutations, grammar, and punctuation.
- Please use full sentences. This is not an abbreviated text message; rather, it is an electronic letter.
- Specify the purpose in the subject line and early in the message body. Reread before sending to ensure clarity of the purpose of the email.
- In the email signature, include the legal first name and last name and your preferred name, if applicable. Please also include your year in the program.
- If you have a question about a placement, please include the preceptor and site name.
- Treat all information shared via email with confidentiality. As a reminder, personal health information and personal information related to patients, student records, or any proprietary information should be de-identified.
- Respond to emails within a reasonable time frame, typically within 48 hours.
- Emails sent with high priority or those requesting an urgent response from the sender should be immediately responded to at the recipient's earliest availability.
- If a detailed response is required, students must at least acknowledge the receipt of the email and provide a timeframe for the complete response.
- If the EL Office or a preceptor has responded to a question posed, please send back a brief email confirming that you received the response.
- It is reasonable to send a follow up email within a reasonable time frame if you have not received a response. Be courteous and kind in the email and specify that you request a response, as required given the circumstance.
Students can anticipate that the EL Office will aim to respond to emails within two working days. Queries for which the answer is available in the couse syllabus, EL Handbook, orientation presentations, PAWS, CANVAS, and/or CORE will not be urgently responded to.
It is important to note that preceptors may not respond as promptly given that they are often balancing multiple other priorities related to their work. If a student does not hear back from a preceptor by email after multiple attempts, they should attempt to phone the preceptor/site and/or may reach out to the EL Office for support.
Students' use of electronic devices is to be reviewed with the preceptor at each site. If device use is sanctioned at the site, they are to be used with utmost discretion for educational purposes only. If directed by the preceptor, the device may be used to contact the preceptor for EL related matters only.
Students must refrain from posting any patient, client, coordinator, preceptor, pharmacy practice or business information on the Internet or any form of social media (e.g., Facebook, X, Instagram, Snapchat, YouTube, etc.).
Students should be mindful of their use of social media on coffee and lunch breaks while on rotation. It could be seen as unprofessional for a student who is meant to be on rotation posting on social media during regular working hours.
Student in placements at Saskatchewan Health Authority sites must adhere to Schedule N: Mobile Device Usage of the SAHSN Agreement. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they read, understand, and comply with the policy.
Concurrent employment during rotations is discouraged as the rotation schedule and associated activities shall take precedence.
Employment conflicts will not be considered legitimate reasons for excusing a student from the site or course expectations and if necessary, work schedules must be adjusted to accommodate the EL course requirements.
If the preceptor or EL Office deems the student’s concurrent employment to adversely affect the student’s quality of work, ability to meet assignment deadlines, and/or adversely affect patient care, the student will be removed from the practice site and may be unsuccessful in completion of the course, which may result in a delay in progression in the program.
Similarly, this also applies to other courses students may wish to take during the rotation period, including combined MBA/PharmD courses.
Students are responsible to be in compliance with policies and procedures as outlined in the schedules appended to the Saskatchewan Academic Health Sciences Network (SAHSN) Clinical Placement Agreement for all placements completed at Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) sites.
This includes adherence to:
- Obtaining and documenting all EL student requirements as listed in the EL Handbook
- Safe Moving Practice
- Students will comply with safe moving requirements and techniques during all clinical placements. However, pharmacy students are not trained in safe moving practices, so they are not to move patients.
- Hand Hygiene
- Students will consistently perform proper hand washing techniques during clinical placements as defined by the current best standards and practices.
- Dress Code
- Students are expected to dress according to professional and safety expectations or requirements. Certain departments or services may have additional dress code requirements. The policy outlines specific requirements for shoes, clothing, jewelry, photo ID badges, and more.
- Mobile Device Usage
- Students are permitted to use mobile devices during placements but must adhere to the policies outlined in the agreement while in placements within the SHA.
Expectations for Participation and Supervision
During all direct patient care placements, students must be under the supervision of a licensed professional at all times. However, students must not expect the preceptor to be there to teach all of the time. The student, not the preceptor, is responsible for the student’s own learning.
The benefit gained by the student in EL will depend to a great extent upon the attitude expressed towards the experience by each individual student. Each student should utilize individual initiative to become involved in learning opportunities.
Preceptors are prepared to provide guidance, assessment, assistance, and to supervise students, but they also have other responsibilities (to patients, colleagues, hospital/institution, organization or business) which take priority. Students should respect these situations and should either wait until a more appropriate time to approach the preceptor, or act independently (where appropriate) to solve the problem. Students are also expected to be prepared for all scheduled activities (e.g., meetings, patient review sessions, patient counseling, etc.) and to participate to the fullest extent possible.
Preceptors are required to review the SCPP Supervision of Pharmacy Interns Policy on an annual basis. Students are also encouraged to review the document to understand the responsibilities of the supervising professional.
The link below is the SCPP Reference Manual. Search "supervision" to download the most current version of the document.
After orientation, the student, with guidance from the preceptor, will seek opportunities to actively participate in activities associated with the specific rotation to be able to demonstrate the required expectations and competencies. All assignments, assessments, and deliverables (e.g., progress notes) are to be completed according to site standards or as directed by the preceptor. During a clinical rotation, the student's priority must be clinical work with the majority of the time spent on direct patient care activities. To facilitate patient care, students should be prepared to work independently and facilitate the support of their preceptor around scheduled times.
Students should take the initiative in communicating with physicians, patients, and other health professionals, but should not step beyond the realm of professional courtesy, scope of practice, and common sense, and should only do so under direct supervision of their preceptor.
Students need to recognize and respect the fact that many preceptors will need time and exposure to the student before enough trust can be built to allow the student to make unmonitored communications to other health care practitioners, and that this process will occur in each new learning environment.
Expectations for Attendance
Assigned Schedules
Placements are expected to take place during the assigned dates and times specified in the student's schedule in CORE.
Students must request permission from the EL Office for any changes to their IPPE and APPE rotation start and/or end dates.
Time on Site
| PHAR 188 and 288 Immersions |
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| PHAR 388 Professional Practice Project and PHAR 189 Service Learning |
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| IPPE and APPE Rotations |
*Although the student may be expecting usual daytime hours for the rotation, they may be required to be on site earlier than 8:00AM or later than 6:00PM or weekends to obtain key practice experiences. Students should be flexible and willing to incorporate programming that requires them to be present at the site during an evening, night, or weekend (e.g., a weekend patient education program or to experience the difference in workload and pace in the evening).
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Statutory Holidays
Students are not required to work on a USask observed holiday or statutory holiday if it falls during the rotation period, nor are they required to make up the hours. If the student is scheduled to work on a USask observed holiday or statutory holiday, they are entitled to take another day off in lieu.
However, if a statutory holiday occurs during the rotation, the student may also consider the day as part of their rotation. They may work the day and continue to take advantage of their learning experience, provided that the preceptor is agreeable.
EL Absence Procedures
New for 2024-2025
Updated February 2024
Effective May 1, 2024, students are expected to follow the EL Absence Procedures for all absences from placements and other EL-related activities.
All students and preceptors should be familiar with the absence procedures and reach out to the EL Office to clarify as needed.
APPE Reflective Days Procedures
New for 2024-2025
Updated February 2024
Effective May 1, 2024, Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations (i.e. PHAR 481, 482, 483, 484) have an embedded day of off-site reflection on the fourth (4th) Friday of each APPE rotation. Students are not to attend their rotation on site on scheduled Reflective Days.
All APPE students and preceptors should be familiar with the APPE Reflective Days procedures.